Music In Our Soul
by Perhapsormaybe
Summary: A collection of one shots and drabbles, inspired by Disney songs. Mostly romantic, mostly Tiana/Naveen.
1. He's a Tramp

**Author's Note: **I have a new full length story in mind for when "What You Need" is finished, but this is my…shall we say…side project. I intend to make as many Disney songs as I can and write a Tiana/Naveen drabble or one shot for each. In some cases, may be Ray/Evangeline or about Tiana and Charlotte's friendship, etc. But they will all be inspired by a Disney song, and of course be _Princess and the Frog_ related. Feel free to suggest songs (My only thing: I prefer they come from Disney's movies, and I despise Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers, so I won't write anything related to them. Sorry.)

**Song: **"He's a Tramp"

**Original Movie: **_Lady and the Tramp_

**Tiana/Naveen:**

It had taken almost a month on a ship to reach the shores of Maldonia. Tiana had spent the whole trip trying to fight off sea sickness. She had lost the fight, and was now leaned so far over the rail in anticipation of the worst that Naveen feared she might fall off.

"We are almost there," He said soothingly, rubbing her back. "In just minutes we will dock and greet my mother and father, and then I will give you a full tour of the kingdom. Does this sound agreeable?"

Tiana wiped at her mouth with her sleeve and glared at her husband. "All I wanna do is get off this ship." He pulled her close to him, and rocked her. She frowned. "I appreciate it, but the last thing I needed was _more _rocking…" she put her hand to her mouth and again leaned over the railing, dry heaving, her chest aching with the effort.

"Are you all right, my princess?"

She didn't answer. She refused to remove herself from the rail until they finally made port. Her relief was short lived, however, when she spotted how many people had shown up to see her and Naveen's arrival.

The people were packed so closely together that the ones nearest the boat seemed in danger of being pushed into the water at any moment. At first, the off-putting part was the sheer number of people. After Tiana got over that, it was the gender that started to bother her.

Sure, there were a few boys around, but most looked bored, clearly dragged there by someone else. The ones cheering loudest were all female, and all, Tiana noticed with a sharp pang of irritation, around her and Naveen's age.

Naveen waved to his subjects, flashing his dazzling smile before motioning them to make room for him. The crowd parted obediently. Naveen grabbed Tiana's hand and pulled her in tightly. He made a loud announcement in Maldonian. Silence rippled through the crowd.

The guys suddenly started cheering, but the girls were starting to mutter, many of them giving Tiana very dirty looks. One girl broke the welcome sign she'd been holding before storming off.

"What did you say to them?" Tiana demanded. "If looks could kill, those girls woulda just done me in!"

"I just announced that the rumors are true, I am indeed married, and introduced you as my wife. Should I not have?" Naveen asked, cocking his head to the side.

"So what are they so upset about?" Tiana asked, teasing. Her jealousy had died down.

"Well," Naveen rubbed his neck awkwardly, momentarily avoiding eye contact. "I may have…."

"Yes?"

"Some of them were…."

"Yes?" Tiana pressed. Naveen coughed awkwardly, then pulled at his collar.

"It seems to be most hot today," he desperately tried to change the subject. Tiana was having none of that, though. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. Naveen hung his head. "All right, all right. I have dated uh…many of those girls."

"How many is many?"

"Who keeps track of these things? I was a bachelor, I had a lot of freetime and I am a great lover of women, after all…"

"Wrong thing to say," Tiana said, turning away from him.

"What? I meant _was_! I _was_ a great lover of women, but now…now I only love you. This is all right, yes?" He grabbed onto her and spun her around. He cupped her chin in his hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I only love you, Tiana. You should know that."

She grabbed his free hand and gave it a squeeze. "I know. But you're just so cute when you're nervous. You make it so temptin'," she flicked Naveen's chin when his mouth dropped open.

"Ooh, I am so going to get you back for this!" he promised.

"Suuure you are," Tiana rolled her eyes, heading for the carriage that awaited them.

Naveen watched her walk away, admiring every movement of her body, thinking of how lucky he was to be with her. The crowd that had watched their argument (with the few who knew English trying to translate as quickly as possible for those around them), and nearly all had come to the same realization. Prince Naveen had finally grown up, and this woman, Tiana, was the one responsible for it all.

"I think," One of the natives said in Maldonian, "we must find some way to thank that woman."


	2. So This Is Love

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the wonderful responses! I will be getting to all of the requests that were given so far within time. I've decided to up the rating to T for Teen, for certain…implications. You will never read a sex scene in one of my stories, but…Naveen makes things sound dirty. It's a talent of his. Again, these are drabbles, so some are short. Anyways, as requested:

**Song: **"So This Is Love"

**Original Movie: **_Cinderella_

**Tiana/Naveen: **

The first rays of sunlight gently poked their way through the curtains, rousing Tiana from her sleep. She blinked a few times and attempted to get out of bed, momentarily panicking when something stopped her. A glance to her left revealed the problem. Naveen was still holding her, just the way he had been when they'd first fallen asleep. His grip was just as tight as it had been last night.

She smiled, and patted her husband's hand, trying to gently wake him. It didn't work. She figured he must have been exhausted…after all, it had been less than twenty-four hours since their second, human wedding (Naveen's parents had insisted, claiming that without a proper, public wedding there would be a scandal in Maldonia). They'd agreed to that request, but she and Naveen had to (politely, of course) turn down his parents' offer to pay for their honeymoon.

They'd spend the better part of their wedding night up at the sugar mill, cleaning and painting. Tiana clasped Naveen's hand and was surprised to find that it had already begun to callous in places.

"Guess you're not such a spoiled rich boy anymore," she said softly, kissing the palm of his hand. She leaned forward and brushed a curl out of Naveen's face before planting another kiss on his forehead.

This felt good. This felt…right. Until she'd met him, she'd never pictured a man in her life, someone to share her dream, but now…now it seemed insane for him _not_ to be there. Tiana was amazed by just how happy she was because of him, and how even when he made a mistake (such as getting overzealous with the paint last night and wasting a good gallon chasing her around, jokingly threatening to douse her with it), she found it endearing rather than frustrating.

"You are liking the view?" Naveen's eyes were not open, but he was talking.

"Did I wake you?"

"Mmm…no. But I could feel someone watching me."

"Uh-huh," Tiana poked him in the ribs. "How'd you know it wasn't just a shadow?"

"Do not mention shadows to me," Naveen said with a groan, finally opening his eyes. "Not after that whole business…" he gave an involuntary shudder. "But no, I knew it must be you."

"Oh, really?" she poked him on the chest this time. "Might that be because I'm the only one who'd be in the bed with you?"

Naveen thought it over. "Well, yes, that is true as well, but there is something different about the way you look at me," he grabbed her hands and squeezed them. "It had to be someone who loves me very much, and you most certainly do."

"Confident in that, ain't ya?"

"I am confident in all things," Naveen insisted, grabbing her and pulling her back into the sheets. "We fell asleep before I could show you that…if you are interested?"

Tiana nodded. "Show me what you got, Prince."


	3. Part Of Your World

**Author's Note: **I'm putting it to a vote. I have two different ideas for "I'll Make a Man Out of You" and I can't decide which one to do. One would be a Louis one shot where he gets to be human for a day (it's a comedy piece) one is more of a Tiana teaching Naveen different things (romance and comedy). I may end up doing both, but at the very least, you guys' input will determine which one I work on first, if I _do _write both of them. Do not worry, *all* requests will be written. *squeals* I love every song that's been suggested so far, so there's no way I'd turn them down!

**Song: **"Part Of Your World"

**Original Movie: **_The Little Mermaid_

**Tiana/Naveen**:

Tiana watched the ball from the balcony of Naveen's room, resting her hand on the smooth, polished marble. She sighed, trying to calm herself.

Dancing was fine. She'd come to enjoy it since Naveen had taught her. But dancing for the entire kingdom of Maldonia, in some royal dance that, according to Naveen, the last person to mess up had been banished?

She bit her lip, wishing desperately she were back in New Orleans. She'd been an official princess for two months now, and she still wasn't used to it. Back home it hadn't mattered as much. Sure, some people called her Princess Tiana now, but that was all that had changed. Here she was regarded stiffly, and she felt like she was being sized up every time someone looked at her, trying to decide if Naveen had made a mistake in marrying her.

She knew that wasn't how Naveen felt, that he genuinely loved her, but this place was getting to her. She was homesick, the servants wouldn't let her cook, and the other members of the royal family kept forgetting that she didn't speak Maldonian. She was starting to feel paranoid that they were talking about her right in front of her.

Tiana leaned over the balcony, watching Naveen. He'd been turning down girls left and right since he'd arrived at the ball, no longer interested in dancing with anyone who wasn't Tiana. She laughed. He was so sweet, especially since she'd told him that it was fine if he danced with other girls. So long as it was only a dance. Naveen had smirked and insisted that anyone who danced with him would fall in love.

She'd poked him for that comment, joking that he shouldn't be so full of himself. Naveen had kissed her and reminded her that when he'd taught her to dance was when he'd first started to fall for her.

"_Prutti_? _Prutti _Tiana?" Tiana turned around to face Naveen's little brother, Shahzad. He was halfway behind the door, hiding as he spoke. Naveen had explained that he was terribly shy. "Brother, he is searching for you," Shahzad said softly. "It is almost time for the dance."

"Right," Tiana muttered, putting a hand on her forehead. "The one that if I don't get right, I'll get banished for…"

"Banished?" Shahzad questioned. "No one is to be banished for not dancing! That is strange. …Did Brother tell you that is the way things are?"

Tiana worked out the meaning behind Shahzad's statement (his English was great for a six year-old's, but it was still heavily accented and his sentence formations could be puzzling at times), figuring out the solution. "Why that dirty rotten….Shahzad, did your brother lie to me?"

"Not lie. Naveen will have thought it was…an amusement. Funny, no?"

"No," Tiana muttered, "not funny. I can't believe he had me so worried over nothing!"

"It was not to worry you," Naveen entered, motioning for Shahzad to leave. The younger boy gave his brother a hug before rushing off. "My princess, would I ever trick you just to be mean?"

"If you thought it was funny," Tiana pointed out.

"My apologies. I thought for certain you knew I was only joking. It was meant to ease your nerves, not to worsen them."

"How was _that_ supposed to make me feel better?"

"I merely thought the joke would make you realize it was not a big deal. I did not think you would take me seriously. You usually do not."

"We're usually home," Tiana said, rubbing her neck as she watched the dance below. "I just feel all out of sorts here, Naveen." He came up behind her, setting his arms on either side of her, his hands also resting on the balcony. "It's so strange being a princess, and at least back home I'm not expected to do any of the whole royal business…"

Naveen kissed into her neck. "I know, I know. But this is only for one night…This is the world _I _came from. I suppose it is that I…I want you to be a part of it, too, at least this once."

Tiana leaned back slightly, resting her head on Naveen's shoulders. "You're absolutely right. You've done so much for me, I can at least do a little dance to make you and your parents happy."

"Ha ha…you are most easy to convince," Naveen laughed. "Was this all I had to say from the beginning?"

Tiana nodded, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her from his room all the way down to the dance floor.

Just for tonight, they would be together in the world he came from. Tiana could grant him that much at least. She could be part of this glittering world of parties and crowns, and it made her happy to feel connected to Naveen in this new way. After all, when she was with him, it felt like they created their own world.

**Author's Note: **Was that too cheesy? I feel like I could dip my nachos in it, yet I still liked it. Ah, oh well. Off to work on the last chapter of "What You Need"! As a side note, Naveen's brother was named "Shahzad" here because it's the only name that means "prince" that I could find that I both liked and sounded at least somewhat okay for a Maldonian name.


	4. Can You Feel the Love Tonight

**Author's Note: **As mentioned last chapter, I have plans for "I'll Make a Man Out of You" but need input before I write it…and I think this song actually has more requests, so…here we are:

**Song: **"Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"

**Original Movie: **_The Lion King_

**Tiana/Naveen**

**Rating: **PG for certain implications.

"You do not remember what today is!" Naveen accused, handing Tiana the roses anyways. She stared at him in bewilderment. "Today is a very special day indeed…you do not remember? _Faldi faldonza_, how can this be?"

"I'm sorry," Tiana rubbed her temples as though it would bring the memory back, "I just can't seem to…I'm so busy with the restaurant I…oh my goodness, it's our anniversary!" she groaned. "And I forgot! I am so sorry, Naveen…It's rush season and there was all that trouble with …I don't have any excuse that could possibly make up for this."

"This is nothing," Naveen brushed it off, "You are overworked, it is a wonder you do not forget who you are sometimes! Nevertheless, I have still created a most splendid dinner for us…" he led her into the dining room. A single rose was in a vase in the center of the table, and champagne was on ice nearby.

"You made beignets!" Tiana exclaimed.

"Well, they are not as good as yours, but I think they will be adequate," Naveen said, "And you will notice I have minced several fruits and vegetables for your enjoyment as well…"

"I should have never taught you how to mince…" she chuckled. "You seem to enjoy it more than anything else to do with cooking," she took a bite of her beignet and smiled. While falling short of her own cooking, it was still delicious. "You did a wonderful job. This is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me."

"Only one of them?" Naveen sat across from her and propped his head up on his elbow, watching her as she ate.

"Well, you did something very similar back when we were frogs," she pointed out. "It's really hard to compare one against the other. But aren't you going to eat?"

"I am too excited to eat. Tonight I have you all to myself. I have informed everyone at the restaurant that if they interrupt us Louis will eat them."

"You didn't!" Tiana laughed. "Who would believe sweet ole Louis to be able to do somethin' like that anyhow?"

Naveen smiled. "He is still a gator, and he was most willing to pretend to be vicious for a moment to drive the point home. He believes it is a good idea for you to spend time with me rather than working as well."

"Well, if _Louis _said so," she was still laughing. She started to reach for the champagne, but Naveen beat her to it.

"Please, allow me, Princess. Tonight, I am the waiter and you are the patron….and you can tip in kisses," He said suggestively.

"Oh? And what about the actual payment for the meal?" she replied. He didn't answer, but his smile grew. He poured her a glass of champagne before pouring one for himself.

"A toast…to Ray and Evangeline," he said, lifting his glass toward the sky, "to us, and to love in general," he clinked his glass against hers, and they both drank.

As the night wore on, they talked about how far they'd come. There was laughter over how they'd bested the frog hunters, tears over Ray's ending, and smiles and kisses over how wonderfully everything had turned out.

It was around one in the morning before they finally went to bed, Naveen carrying Tiana the whole way. They kissed passionately as he set her down. Tonight was only about love. They would not actually sleep for several more hours.

Little did either one suspect that this night would also create their first child.


	5. I'll Make a Man Out of You

**Author's Note: **As **Light Through The Veins **pointed out to me, poor Louis is underused as far as fanfiction goes. So while I'm still planning on doing the Tiana/Naveen version of "Make a Man Out Of You", it will have to wait. I don't know how many chapters, as I might get the other requests done before returning to it. We'll have to see.

**Song: **"I'll Make a Man Out of You"

**Original Movie: **_Mulan_

**Louis-centric! (I'm afraid this is not nearly as funny as I was hoping for, but I still like the moral, so…we're going with it).**

"Pleeeeaaaaase!" Louis whined once more, his front claws clasped together as he pleaded.

Mama Odie sighed. "This is the sixth time in two weeks you showed up at my house askin' to turn you human! What good's it gonna do you? You got a good life. Ain't Tiana and princey treating you well?" Louis nodded.

"Oh, they treat me all right, Mama Odie, it's other people. They scared of me for some reason!" He rubbed the scales on his left arm with his right claw. "It's the scales and the teeth…don't no one want to talk to a gator."

"Not like they can understand you anyhow," Mama Odie muttered.

"Exactly!" Louis cried, not realizing the voodoo woman's point. "They all think I'm gonna eat them. Even the other members of the band. Please, Mama Odie, even if it's just for a while…"

"Just for a while?" Mama Odie repeated, petting Juju a little too hard as she thought. The snake seemed relieved a moment later when she sent him after her magic gourd.

"You mean?" Louis was up on his hind legs, staring at Mama Odie in disbelief. "Do you really mean it, Mama Odie?" She nodded curtly. "Remember, I want to have all my fingers and toes and I want the kind of belly button that goes in and doesn't stick out, oooh, and could I have hair? I've never had hair before!"

"Reptiles ain't usually got need for it," Mama Odie said shortly, waving the gourd above her head with a flourish. "This might hurt a little…"

"Ouch!" Louis cried.

"It ain't touched you yet!"

"Oh…sorry," Louis said sheepishly. Sure enough, a moment later when the magic _did _hit him he cried out in agony. It felt like lightening had struck him in the chest. His tail moved back into his body, his arms and legs got longer, his snout shortened and when he ran his tongue along his teeth, he found they were no longer sharp.

He ran to Mama Odie's bathtub full of gumbo and stared at his reflection on the surface. He didn't recognize himself. Instead of a gator was a tall, portly man with coffee colored skin. He felt on top of his head, feeling the little bit of hair there. "I wanted more hair than this!" he complained.

"You be happy I did anythin' for you," Mama Odie threatened, "Lord knows I could have just as easily ignored you…now, you pay attention. This here spell only works for twenty-four hours."

Louis frowned. "Isn't there any way to make it permanent?"

Mama Odie chuckled. "Let's just see how you feel about it after today. Go on now, scoot, I got me other business to take care of today," she popped him on the rear with a wooden stirring spoon.

Going outside, Louis would meet his first human challenge – getting back to New Orleans through the bayou, without the aid of a tail to swim with or claws and sharp teeth to defend himself.

"Well, if Tiana and Naveen could do it as frogs, I sure 'nough can do it as a human," Louis decided, taking a step off the porch and landing in the cold waters of the swamp. He slipped into the water. "So far so good…" a single mosquito buzzed down to him. "Well, hello there little guy….oh…wow. You got friends," he said, surprised when a small swarm landed on his skin. He screamed and started slapping when they all bit down, one after another.

He scratched at his skin, wincing. He'd never been so itchy before, and he'd certainly never had to worry about mosquitoes before. They hadn't been able to penetrate his scales. He fought his way through another swarm of mosquitoes, this time doing a much better job of avoiding them all, though the occasional one still bit.

He stopped in his tracks when he felt something slither between his legs. "Oh no…tell me that ain't a snake…" he muttered. He flopped over and started using the breaststroke, figuring it would be a much faster way to get out of the swamp then merely wading through.

It was much harder without his claws and tail to aid him. He could no longer hold his breath for twenty minutes at a time as he could when he was a gator, and his large size was even more of a hindrance when he reached the areas where trees grew closely together.

Several hours of his day as a human being were wasted on just getting out of the swamp. When he finally reached New Orleans, he was soaked and shaking. He was exhausted. His plump form had been fine for a gator, healthy even, but as human's go, he was out of shape.

Louis was relieved when he finally stumbled upon "Tiana's Palace". "Naveen!" he cried. Naveen was serving as maître d' today. He looked up from his podium and studied Louis.

"Do I know you?" Naveen asked, trying to recall. "If you do not have a reservation we may not seat you today," he sighed, "It is unfortunately most busy…and it would seem our patrons are none to happy about our trumpet player missing work today…"

"But I _am _ya'll's trumpet player!" Louis cried.

"You are mistaken, my friend," Naveen motioned for Louis to take one of the waiting section's seats. "Our trumpet player is a gator."

"I know! I'm him!"

"You do not look like a gator."

Louis sighed. "I met you and Tiana in the bayou, y'all were frogs, I tried to help y'all find Mama Odie but I got you lost, then Ray came in and helped, and she told you to dig a little deeper, then Tiana defeated the Shadow Man you got bamboozled by and then you got married." He said the story all in one breath, desperate for Naveen to believe him.

"Louis? _Achidanza_! We had thought you would not show up for work today…You do not look like yourself, my friend…You have not been playing with Shadow Men, I hope?"

"We all learned from your mistake," Louis snorted. Naveen took the joke good-naturedly. "It was Mama Odie."

"I thought she said she would not turn you into a human?"

"She changed her mind. One of them twenty-four hour spells," Louis explained. "Now, where my horn at? I want to blow the lid of this joint!"

"There is the Louis I know," Naveen agreed, pushing him in the direction of the stage. "Tiana!" Naveen cried, racing for the kitchen, "Louis is here. And he is uh…dressed most sharply!"

"Now what is that supposed to mean?" Tiana's voice grew louder as she walked out of the kitchen, a fresh bowl of red beans and rice in her hands. "I don't see Louis…oh, hello," she greeted Louis, assuming he was a customer, "Welcome to Tiana's Palace…"

"No, no, _that_ is Louis!" Naveen insisted.

"….Naveen, honey, do you need glasses?"

"No, no, he's right," Louis insisted. "I met you and Naveen in the bayou, y'all were frogs, I tried to help y'all find Mama Odie but—"

"It really is you!" Tiana hugged him. "I can't believe it. You're human!"

"But only for twenty-four hours," Naveen added.

"Less than that, by now," Louis amended.

"Well, I'm happy for you, but you know you got a job to do. Jazz is one of the reasons people come here in the first place," Tiana nodded towards the stage. "So you better get on up there. …Maybe you should change first, though?" He indicated his muddy clothes. "Naveen, go grab one of the waiter's outfits for him."

"Will we have one in his size?" Naveen wondered aloud as he rushed off.

"Not like Mama Odie to do somethin' like this," Tiana noted. "You sure she ain't tryin' to teach you some sort of lesson?"

"Like what?" Louis laughed. "This is great so far!...Except the mosquitoes. You humans have such weak skin! And it _itches_!" He scratched at the red, bumpy mosquito bites. His stomach growled loudly, and Tiana handed him the red beans and rice.

"Here. Get something in your stomach before you go on to perform."

Louis thanked her before starting to try to lower his head down to the bowl. He spilled half the contents before he remembered that his mouth did not stick out nearly as far anymore. Tiana chuckled and handed him a spoon before going to fetch something to clean the mess up with. Louis gripped it in awkwardly, using his whole fist to hold it. His first try with a spoon was much harder than anticipated. It scraped the bottom of the bowl and when he bit down on the spoon, the rounded end jammed upwards into his throat.

He panicked and released the spoon, unfortunately allowing it to slide part way down his throat. Gagging and coughing, he pulled it out and set it back beside the bowl, eyeing it warily. After a moment's consideration, he finished his meal by using the bowl like a cup, this time more aware of where his mouth was. He barely spilled any.

"Your audience awaits," Tiana had come back with a towel and his trumpet. She handed the latter to Louis, and pointed to the stage, where Naveen was already plucking out some chords on his ukulele.

Louis bounded for the stage, excited. This was his big human debut. He loved playing at Tiana's Palace, but being human meant there was the possibility of other venues. He would never leave The Firefly Five, but he wanted the feeling of someone else offering him that kind of opportunity.

He buzzed his lips before lifting the brass instrument to his lips, trying to prepare himself. He fingered a few notes as the drummer counted out the rhythm of the song. When the drummer reached "four", Louis began to play.

The others stopped and stared at him, and Louis put the horn down, feeling inside the mouth of the trumpet for any sort of debris. The music he'd just made had been, in a word…horrible. "Heh heh," He faked a laugh. "Sorry. Technical difficulties. Let me just try again…" He chose a simple song, just a few bars of "Little Brown Jug", but the notes squeaked so horribly the rest of the band started to cover their ears.

Louis excused himself from the stage, motioning that the others should play without him. "He ain't as good as the gator anyhow," Louis overheard the trombonist mutter.

"Louis? Are you okay?" Tiana asked. She'd watched the performance with no idea of what to do to help. He shook his head.

"I don't get it…what happened?"

Tiana considered. "Your mouth is different."

"What?"

"Well, think about it…you learned to play jazz as a gator. You had a much longer mouth, and teeth to deal with…you overcame a lot of things that should have made it impossible to learn jazz, and it made you an even better player. As a human, you'd have to learn it all over again…"

"But until then, I wouldn't be able to perform," Louis realized, studying his trumpet. "You don't think this is what Mama Odie had in mind from the get-go, do you?" Tiana shrugged.

"There's no way to know," She admitted. "Do you….do you still want to be a human?"

Louis thought it over, and then shook his head. "No. I worked so hard to learn how to play. I've been practicing that trumpet since a riverboat man threw it over the side and I rescued it," he had the trumpet resting in his open hands, looking at his reflection in the metal as he spoke. "I suppose Mama Odie was right all along. I should have been happy with just playin' here. This is enough for me."

"Good…cause you know, if you stayed human, I think I would have had to fire you from the band," Tiana teased. "So, what are you going to do with the rest of your day as a human?"

"I think," Louis said, "That I'm gonna go watch those jazz shows I usually get chased away from. Maybe I can watch a thing or two to practice once I'm back to normal."

"I think that's a brilliant idea."

Louis left the restaurant, horn tucked under one arm, as Naveen descended from the stage. "Mama Odie trying to teach another lesson the hard way?" Tiana nodded. "Why that woman will not come out and merely say what she means! It is exasperating!"

Tiana chuckled. "I guess…but maybe this time, it drove the point home a bit better than just words would have."


	6. Hellfire

**Author's Note: **I still intend to reach every request, but **Kohee** recently suggested "Hellfire" for Dr. Facilier and my mind started racing. God, I love that song.

**Song: **"Hellfire"

**Original Movie: **_The Hunchback of Notre Dame_

**Dr. Facilier, post movie! (Just trust me, it'll make sense in a moment)**

Facilier screamed as his friends dragged him to the 'Other Side'. He pleaded with them desperately, telling them he had more plans, if they could only give him more time…But such dark friends are not the kind to give something for nothing, and so far, they believed Facilier had used up all his chances.

The gate to the human world closed with a purple flash. All Facilier could see in the darkness were the green outlines of his voodoo doll captors as they dragged him to a location he could not see. His mind raced, imagining the terrible tortures that might await him. He considered asking if they were taking him to Hell, but he knew the answer already. Hearing it said aloud would only make the trip that much worse. There'd be no comforting denial if it were said, and it was denial Facilier foolishly clung to at the moment.

"You still have more plans, eh? Let him go, boys," a shape shifted in the shadows. All Facilier could tell in the darkness was that while the shape had a similar build to a man, it was no man.

Facilier took advantage of the moment, gazing his composure. He pulled himself to his feet and swept his hat off his head, giving the shape a bow, hoping that form could see him. "Oh, yes. Lots more plans…If you would just afford me a little more time, Mr. …uh?"

"Just call me Belial. I'm listening to your plea," there was a flash in the darkness, and Facilier gave a shudder as he realized that the light the voodoo doll demons were giving off was being reflected on Belial's teeth. "But you better make it pretty impressive, Facilier."

Facilier nodded. "As I'm sure you're aware, it's a frog's fault I'm here…"

"Oh no," Belial interrupted, a circle of gold light forming beside him. As he spoke, an image of Tiana and Naveen at their wedding appeared in the middle of the light. "It's not her fault you're out of time, and they're not frogs anymore."

Facilier frowned momentarily, but then thought of a way to work it into his scheme. "Surely you're not okay with happy endings? Wouldn't you prefer they were miserable? I know y'all spirits like your wayward souls and all, but what about pure souls? I'm talkin' nice folk here…"

"Yes…we like their souls much better," Belial agreed, "But it's a rare treat. They typically have to sign their souls over, and it's such a hassle. But they are more…delicious. Too bad I haven't had one in a good thousand years."

"Ah, but what if I personally promise you those two's souls? Tiana's and Naveen's? Especially Tiana's," He muttered the last part darkly.

"How do you expect to do that?"

"If you would grant me more time, and just a touch more power – not much, mind you, I know how to get to those two so that they're desperate enough to give their souls up to you. I can guarantee it. I know their kind."

Belial was silent, contemplating.

"Well? What do you say?" Facilier extended his hand. "Do we got ourselves a deal?"

Belial chuckled. "It will take more souls than that."

"Of course. After I have them, I'll get the souls of everyone in New Orleans and in Maldonia. All for you, and all I want in return is the life I had back."

"Facilier, we have ourselves an arrangement," a human shaped hand, covered in what felt like scales, reached out and touched Facilier's hand without gripping it. "But if you fail…" Belial did not finish the threat. "Are you sure you want to accept?"

Facilier shook his hand, flinching at the touch of the scales, without a moment's hesitation. Whatever was waiting for him on this side would be terrible, but at least he could postpone it for now and get revenge at the same time…

**Author's note: **(again) Umm…wow. That was seriously not what I intended to write. I was going to do this dark version of Hell and detail things and…then I write this instead. *laughs* I may just continue on this story, maybe even as full length (or if someone else wants to continue it while I work on this and my other story idea, I'd be cool with that). For the record, the name "Belial" comes from "And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?" 2 Corinthians 6:15. In other words, yeah, if you were wondering, that _was _Satan.


	7. If I Never Knew You

**Song: **"If I Never Knew You"

**Original Movie: **_Pocahontas_(Quick note: This was cut for the theatrical release, then restored for the 10th anniversary edition, so if you haven't heard it, that's why. It's easily found on youtube).

**Quick warning: **…This chapter's sad. It is, as you might have guessed, an exploration on what might have happened with Tiana if she'd never met Naveen, then the second part with him if he hadn't met her.

**Tiana:**

It's not that she didn't have suitors. A girl as pretty as Tiana was seemed to gain (usually unwanted) attention anywhere she went. But she ignored them. She had work to do, and that seemed to be all that was important to her.

She never went out with friends. Eudora had to go out of her way to see her own daughter, as when Tiana wasn't working she was catching what little sleep she could. There was no such thing as free time in Tiana's world.

She would be about twenty-six years of age before she saved up enough for her restaurant, and it unfortunately was not the sugar mill she'd hoped for. She had had to settle for a shack towards the center of town.

Sure, she managed to fix it up and make it look presentable, but it had taken so much time, and it had been lonely work getting it all done by herself. Eudora had offered a hand, but Tiana had declined, fearing for her elderly mother's health. Unfortunately, Tiana refused to admit that she was lonely.

Eudora had hoped once the dream of opening a restaurant had been realized, that Tiana would start going out and actually living her life. The opposite happened. "Tiana's Place" received accolades because of all the hard work Tiana put into it, but since she refused help the restaurant was were she spent all her time, and the only thing on her mind.

Some nights she'd look up at the wishing star and ask aloud why she didn't feel complete. She'd gotten her dream, but something felt wrong about it. There was an emptiness, something missing that she'd unfortunately overlooked.

But Tiana would always dismiss those feelings, and chide herself for being so silly. After all, she'd got what she wanted.

**

* * *

**

Naveen:

The prince strummed his ukulele half-heartedly, fighting the urge to run away. His marriage to Charlotte La Bouff had been officiated less than an hour ago, and already he was wishing he hadn't. But what choice did he have? His parents had cut him off, and the only way to get his old lifestyle back was through marriage.

It's not that his bride was unattractive or cruel. She was beautiful and very kind, but she was just so high-strung, and she knew nothing of music. She was also every bit as spoiled as the prince himself. He was aware that she was in love only with the idea of him, and he'd never liked the idea of tying himself to only one woman, feeling he was too young to tie himself down, but he was desperate.

He'd brought her back to Maldonia to live, and she'd taken a room on the opposite side of the palace.

Every few weeks she'd barge in and demand that he spend time with his wife, and so they'd go on a date, but it always went the same way. All she wanted to talk about was being a princess. All he wanted to talk about was music. They refused to compromise, and the dates often ended with Naveen in the corner flirting with a waitress.

Eventually Charlotte decided that she'd had enough, and it wasn't worth putting up with Naveen to keep her title. She'd divorced him and left for the states not long after. Naveen was relieved to see her go, far more bothered that without his wife's riches, he was, once again, broke.

His parents went back and forth between worry and contempt for their eldest son. They assumed his fog might lift when he and Charlotte divorced, thinking perhaps the unhappy marriage was why Naveen had been so lackluster since his return from the states. It quickly turned to irritation when Naveen did not get better after Charlotte had left. He went back to flirting, and he dated constantly, but no girl ever managed to last longer than two weeks.

His father was heartbroken over it, but he took away Naveen's crown. He was to remain a prince, but it was his little brother who would inherit the crown. Naveen seemed indifferent, as his fortune was restored to him when his crowned prince title was taken away.

He'd spend his days and nights on music, women, and dancing, and appeared quite happy. His family, however, was sad for him. Even his little brother did not see Naveen's life ending in happiness at the rate he was going.

Unfortunately, it was something Naveen never managed to see for himself.


	8. I'll Make a Man Out of You Second Versio

**Author's Note: **Given the responses to the "Hellfire" chapter, I will, in fact, be using it as the starting base for my next story (the other full length story is getting pushed to the backburner and will follow it). I will start the full length story for Dr. Facilier's new scheme as soon as I figure out a title for it.

**Song: **"I'll Make a Man Out Of You" (For the 2nd time)

**Original Movie: **_Mulan _

**Naveen and Tiana, semi-romantic, semi-comedic. **

"All right," Tiana held the soup ladle in one hand, with both of her hands behind her back, patrolling back and forth like a general trying to encourage his troops. "Tomorrow, gentlemen, is the opening of Tiana's Palace. Which means we're gonna have ourselves a little run through."

Naveen groaned. "And the waiters and waitresses? And the other chef? Why are they not included in this? Why only Louis and I?"

"Just think of yourselves as…ambassadors," Tiana explained. "How I expect you to act and what y'all need to know before we open. You two are the most likely to stay here permanently. Well, Naveen, you're stuck here forever, but as for Louis…well…"

"Oh, you know I'm gonna stay!" Louis nodded enthusiastically and spun his trumpet. "What do I need to know?"

"Remember not to eat the guests."

Louis rolled his eyes. "Y'all know I don't eat humans. No offense, but I heard you taste awful."

"It was a joke," Tiana said with a smile. "All I need from you, Louis, is to lead the band. And to make sure Naveen doesn't spend _all _of his time here on the stage playing." Louis gave a small salute before wandering off to find the band and start practice. Tiana picked up a pad of paper and pencil from a nearby table. "These are the suggestions people have made for the menu. First off…oh, well that won't do."

"Why? What have they requested?" Naveen asked, peering over his wife's shoulders. "Frog's legs!" He shuddered. "Most certainly not! You were not even thinking of serving those, were you?"

Tiana shook her head. "Of course not. The other requests are…well, mainly just beignets, but also jumbalaya, crawfish, etoufee, po-boys and…King cakes. Musta been a tourist, King cakes are really only made from January sixth to Mardi Gras," she explained when Naveen gave her a puzzled look.

"All right, but I do not serve time in the kitchen, so I still do not understand what you need to tell me," Naveen reiterated.

"Well, for one, you're still going to be working as the maître d', and that means when you're seating people you can't be playing music."

"Yes, yes, I know. We have been over this. And I am to help with the serving and the mincing. This is no problem. You are worrying too much, Tiana. …What are you doing with all of those plates?" As he'd been talking, Tiana had started arranging plates and cups onto three serving platters.

"We're gonna do a little test, see if you're as ready as you think you are. Here you go," she handed him the first tray, then shook her head when he held it with both hands. "No, no. You have to carry all three at once."

"That is not possible!"

"What, you sayin' you ain't strong enough?" she teased.

"Strength is not the issue," Naveen snorted. "But one person simply can not carry three trays and balance all of them. Surely they would spill."

"Perhaps a little demonstration," she suggested, taking the tray back from him. She moved the first tray to the crooks of her arms, balancing it there as she grabbed the other two trays. She walked quickly around the room, stacking one of the trays on top of the other as she reached for the glasses and plates on the third tray and set the tables. Naveen watched, holding his breath as Tiana set every table in the restaurant without tripping or dropping anything. "See? It's not so hard."

"Maybe not," He considered momentarily. "But it seems to me that you have worked as a waitress far longer than I have –uh, done serving, at any rate. I am not a waitress, obviously."

"Won't know until you try," she collected the plates back onto the trays and handed them to Naveen. "We'll start you off with just the plates, since they're more durable than the glasses."

Five hours and twenty broken plates later, Naveen felt like he finally had it under control. While he couldn't balance all three trays at once, he had managed to balance two and Tiana seemed to find that acceptable, at least for now. He still wobbled a bit, much to his annoyance ("How can I be my charming, smooth self if I am tripping over things?" he'd complained), but the past hour he hadn't broken a single dish.

But he had no idea that that was only the start of this trial. Next, water was added to the glasses. It sloshed over the sides, drenching him every few steps. He hadn't quite mastered it when Tiana insisted she add food to his trays.

By the time Tiana finally gave him a break, his formally white suite was stained red in places, he was still wet, there was a crawfish in his hair, he'd sustained a small burn on the top of his hand and possibly worst of all, he felt like a failure. "I do not understand how you did this, day in and day out…and at two jobs! I admire you even more," He admitted, dabbing at one of the stains with a napkin. "I was not very good at this, was I?"

Tiana smiled and kissed him, plucking the crawfish out of his hair right before she leaned in. "Not yet, but you'll get it. We'll start you out slow. I just wanted you to understand what you're getting yourself in for. You really were wonderful."

"Really?"

"Well…no," Tiana admitted. "But that was actually better than my first day. I broke thirty dishes my first day of waitressing, and seventeen the day after. You just need to hit your groove."

"And when does this happen?"

"I'm sure it'll be a few days, at the longest," she assured him, before kissing him again. "In the meantime, maybe you should just do the mincing and play the ukulele for the grand opening…"

Naveen thought it over. "No."

"What? Why not?"

"I have taken the easy way all my life. You taught me better than that, and you deserve for me to work every bit as hard as you do. I do not care how many more dishes I break or how many times I spill food on myself, I will help serve tomorrow."

"That's very sweet," Tiana replied, touched. "But do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

"Make sure no one gets hurt on all those broken dishes."

Naveen chuckled. "This, I can promise you. Tomorrow night is your night, and it will be glorious. Besides, we are both beautiful enough to distract from a few broken dishes, do you not agree?"

"You are very handsome and charming," Tiana admitted.

"And your food is the most amazing anyone has ever tasted," Naveen added. "That is what matters." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Are you ready?"

"I am a bit nervous," she admitted.

"Well then," Naveen clapped his hands together and rose from his chair before pulling Tiana to her feet as well. "As your husband, I must do my job. I have excellent ways of calming nerves. Perhaps I could show you at our own home?" He pulled her closer to him, his eyes sparkling as he made his suggestion clear.

"I think that may be just what I need."

**Author's Note: **I know Naveen is usually very graceful, but when you're not used to carrying a lot of things at once, it can be difficult. I just imagine him tripping when he first tries, though I bet he'd improve very quickly. He seems like the fast learning type, given his quick adaptation to being a frog. I hope this chapters relation to the song is clear. ...um, next chapter's gonna be Ray/Evangeline, for a change of pace.


	9. Once Upon a Dream

**Song: **"Once Upon a Dream" (I Danced With You Once Upon a Dream? I've seen it written both ways, so I'm not terribly sure)

**Original Movie: **_Sleeping Beauty_

**Evangeline/Ray**

She had been born such a long time ago, and yet no one had ever given a name. The only ones who ever talked to her where the beings on Earth who would look up and make wishes on her. Some called her the "Evening Star", but that didn't feel like a name to her, either.

Still, she'd done her best to make sure the good people and animals who wished on her got what they deserved. She'd shine brighter for some of them, trying to encourage them. She had a little bit of magic, to use as she wished, and she used it on those pure hearted souls who desperately needed her help. It didn't occur to her to make a wish for herself during those first centuries.

One day, out of the blue, a little firefly began to talk to her. She listened to him as he spoke to her of how beautiful she was. She waited patiently for him to make his wish, but he never asked anything of her. It puzzled her. He talked to her every night, but even after weeks of this, he still hadn't made any wishes.

"Well, about time I introduced myself proper. I'm Raymond, you call me Ray. So, what your name? I been talkin' to you for days now and I still don't know it," the little firebug said to her as he gazed at her, perched on a lily. He waited for her to give an answer, but she really didn't know how to respond. "Well, shoot, missy, don't you have a name? All right, then. I gonna call you 'Evangeline'. That all right with you, _cher_?" All the star, Evangeline, could do was to shine a bit brighter to show her approval. Ray noticed. "Yeah. Evangeline. That a good name for a firefly as pretty as you."

She watched over him, and listened to him talk to her, wishing desperately she could say something back to him. Evangeline thought for sure that Ray would give up after a time, bothered that she never spoke to him. But every night, he talked to her for hours on end. He seemed to think she was just shy.

She had taken to looking at other stars when Ray wasn't around and wishing on them, even though she knew it would not make a difference. Very few stars are born with magic, and they were not put there to grant other stars' wishes. But she longed to be with Ray. She was even starting to understand what the lovers down on Earth were talking about when they made wishes on her.

She was watching when it happened, of course. Ray had asked her to help him with Tiana and Naveen, and she had helped Ray's light to grow bright enough to destroy the shadows. She'd wanted to scream to Ray to watch out for Dr. Facilier, to get him to realize that he needed to turn around, but there was no way to do it. She couldn't even look away as the evil voodoo man stepped on her beloved.

She was watching the funeral not long after, nearly driving herself mad with questions. Could she have done something to save him? Could her magic of helped him in anyway? Was it really true that he was gone?

That was when something strange and wonderful occurred. Ray's body was enveloped by light, and it started racing through the sky, in Evangeline's direction.

"Evangeline?" She'd never heard a voice so close to her before, and she was so happy that it was Ray's. "Is that you, _cherie_?"

"Yes. Yes, it is!" She replied. "Is that you Ray?"

The new star chuckled in delight. "Well of course. You didn't think even death would stop ole Ray from bein' with his Evangeline, now did you?" A part of Ray, a light beam of his own star, extended towards her. She reached out her own ray of light towards him, effectively holding hands. "We can be together now. Forever, if you want."

"Yes," Evangeline said, happier than she could have ever imagined herself to be. "I do want that."


	10. I Won't Say I'm In LoveSomething There

**Songs: **"I Won't Say I'm in Love"/ "Something There"

**Original Movies: **_Hercules _/ _Beauty and the Beast_

**Author's note: **Please do not think I'm cheating! I wrote the whole Naveen part with "I Won't Say I'm in Love" in mind and meant to do the same for Tiana's part, but then I realized this particular drabble fit both songs, and if I were to do the two prompts separately it would have been redundant. I sincerely apologize if this bothers anyone.

**During the movie**

**Naveen's Side:**

Naveen was not the least bit bothered by his attraction to Tiana. She was a very beautiful woman, and he had been glad to have found such a pretty princess to kiss him. Once she transformed into a frog as well, he assumed his continued attraction was either because he knew what she looked like as a human or possibly his frog form getting the better of him. Frogs do tend to be attracted to other frogs, after all.

He'd had crushes before. None of those heart-pounding, head-spinning torrid affairs, but there was attraction, and the high that came from a girl fawning all over him. And that was what was catching him off balance now. He'd struck out with the waitress he'd attempted to make eyes at earlier today (for he still had not realized it had been Tiana), and now Tiana had rejected him as a frog.

"Really," he mumbled under his breath, after Tiana threatened his life if he got too close during the night. "She acts as though I am a bigger threat to her than the alligators are…" the next part he made certain she could hear. "It is not like a waitress is going to do much better! I _am _a prince!"

"You're still a frog, rich boy," Tiana snapped. "And I am not letting your slimy self get anywhere near me."

"It is not slime, it is mucous!" He once again insisted. "And you yourself are covered in it!"

The next night when Tiana went to sleep, Naveen stayed up. Which is how he overheard the conversation their new traveling companions, Ray and Louis, were having about them.

"I'm not sure I see it," Louis admitted. "Are you sure those two like each other?"

"Shooooooot," Ray drawled out. "Better question be how you _don't _see it. You known 'em longer than I have."

"By a few hours," Louis muttered.

"They a stubborn pair. Evangeline even think so," Ray gave a jerk of his head toward the Evening Star. "You saw 'em dancin' together, same as I did. What you think that was about?" He paused, letting the gator consider. "They head over feet for one another, that's for sure."

Louis nodded. "Now that you mention it, I suppose you could be right. Could be why she pretends to hate him…"

"See, now you catchin' on," Ray nodded his approval. "She don't even know she like him yet…"

"What about Naveen? Does he know?"

Naveen thought about cutting in on the pair's conversation to inform them that while Tiana's affections could not be helped (who would not fall for someone as dashing and charming as he was? Even as a frog, he retained his princely manner, after all), he certainly had no feelings other than lingering attractions for the waitress. The feelings would go away, he was certain. But Ray responded before Naveen could, and the answer knocked him off balance.

"Shoot. Cap don't even realize he in love with her! You see the way his face fell when she pulled away from the kiss? Cap looked heartbroken."

"Does she love him back?" Louis was leaning forward now, his front claws held together by the side of his face, which now sported an oddly romantic look. Had Naveen not been so thrown off by what Ray had said, he would have found the alligator's interest in love stories rather entertaining.

"Well, I don't know," Ray admitted. "I know she like him, but I can't say if she loves him. But whatever she feel toward him, she's fightin' it like nobody's business."

Naveen had never considered the prospects of love before. He spent several hours that night telling himself that Ray and Louis simply had it wrong. By the time they reached Mama Odie, he was starting to think their theory might have some validity, but it was the old witch who really drove the point home.

Tiana may have missed the point, but Mama Odie's message was not wasted on Naveen. He left the voodoo woman's house with a new realization. He needed to be with Tiana. Not because she had money (she most certainly did not), not because she was beautiful (though that was an added bonus, he had to admit), but because he loved her. She made him a better person, and for once, he really liked who he was on the inside, rather than just what he looked like.

**

* * *

**

Tiana's Side

Tiana had never met someone she found so frustrating. Naveen was somehow rude and polite all at once, and his womanizing ways irked her. Far worse was his laziness. At first, it seemed that everything he did and said made her dislike him all the more. He expected her to do all the work and for a while he kept calling her 'waitress' instead of by her name.

But she'd taught him how to mince, and he'd taught her how to dance. He was a quick learner, she had to give him that, and he did listen very closely to her when she explained how to do it. And she had been flattered when he told her she was secretly funny. Things progressed, and she started to feel a softness towards him. She shooed the thoughts away, insisting to herself that they were merely friends.

Of course, almost kissing him after they danced was evidence to the contrary, but Tiana decided not to think too much on that.

She wasn't paying quite as much attention at Mama Odie's as Naveen was. Tiana was a self-driven woman, and while she certainly didn't mind getting advice, Mama Odie had actually distracted her by showing her the image of her father. Seeing her own memory displayed that way only served as a reminder of the hard work she promised her father she'd do.

When he brought her to the top of the river boat, she had recognized the scene as something sweet. She knew it was romantic, and that was part of the reason she was in awe that Naveen would do something like that for her. She wondered why he kept tripping over himself, but she did assure him it was cute. She meant it.

When he'd walked away from her, after first promising to do anything to make her dream come true, something hadn't felt right. She thought it was kind of him to want to help her, so she didn't know why it was suddenly starting to bother her. She turned to Evangeline for help, and asked desperately for a sign.

She had come to realize her feelings for Naveen, but it did feel like she would have to make a choice. Her restaurant or him. She wasn't sure how he felt, and she'd been working so very hard for so very long… "Please, Evangeline, just give me a sign…"

When Ray let the secret out later – that Naveen was in love with her and wanted to marry her – Tiana was surprised just how easy it was to choose to be with him. She still wanted her restaurant, but they could work towards that together. Right now, all that mattered was getting to him, telling him how she felt, and getting themselves returned to normal…

**Author's Note: **I'm cutting off there because, well, I really don't want to recount the whole ending of the movie, and I feel this is a good place to leave off.


	11. Kiss the Girl

**Author's Note: **…This is a very strange idea, but after I finally got the actual song out of my head, this is the story idea I got from it. Rather than recount the first time they kissed, or the first time they kissed and both really wanted to (and not to break the curse), I come up with this. …I apologize for my weirdness.

**Song: **"Kiss the Girl"

**Original Movie: **_The Little Mermaid_

**Tiana/Naveen**

"Well," the doctor closed the bedroom door as he exited, and turned to Naveen. "She'll be all right, but she _is _sick. 'Bout threw me out the window when I told her she couldn't work today…but I _am_ serious 'bout that. Absolutely no letting that girl go to work. That kind of bug in the food, makin' people sick... She'd lose her reputation as the best chef in town."

"I would never allow that to happen," Naveen insisted. "But please, how long must she stay in bed?"

"At least one day. It'd be better to do so longer, but I've known Miss Tiana a long enough time to know that that ain't gonna happen. After twenty-four hours, she won't be contagious anymore, though, and she can return to work if she wishes."

Naveen thanked the doctor and paid him as he walked him out, before turning and running up the stairs to his wife.

She was sitting up in bed, coughing. The sound made him wince. He went to hold her, but she pushed him away and shook her head.

"What is wrong?" They were still newlyweds. Only a handful of months had passed since their wedding, and in that time she'd never pushed him away, not even during an argument (especially since that was how Naveen often chose to end an argument).

"You'll get sick too," she said hoarsely. Naveen shrugged, and leaned in for a kiss. Once more, his bride pushed him away. "Especially no kisses, Naveen. I'm serious. Besides, you have to fill in for me at the restaurant."

"What? But…But I have never been away from you before! Not for more than a few hours, anyways, and I most certainly have never run a restaurant by myself! Surely you have someone on the staff who is more…able?"

Tiana raised an eyebrow. She was trying to save her voice, and thankfully, her face was expressive enough to make her point for her. The look she gave Naveen now so clearly said 'You have _got _to be kidding me, you spoiled little rich boy', that he momentarily thought he'd heard her say it.

He sighed. "There is no arguing with you on this, is there? Very well. I will go watch the restaurant, but on one condition. You will stay in bed all day. No running in to Tiana's Palace to check in on me, no trips to the market for supplies. Are we in agreement?" Tiana considered, and nodded. "Very good." He leaned forward to give her a kiss goodbye, but a third time his affections were denied. "…right. You are sick. No kisses right now."

Tiana patted his hand as he crossed his arms, pouting. She jerked her head towards the door. "Oh, all right," He stood up, "I am going." He stood up and headed off for the restaurant, irritated.

Louis was the first one to greet him. "Hey, buddy! …Where's Tiana?"

"She has a bug," Naveen replied, motioning for the gator to follow him into the kitchen. The staff grew quiet upon the prince's arrival, most craning their necks to try to locate Tiana. "Tiana is not here today. She is sick and so, I will be in charge," there were a few snickers. Naveen tried to locate the detractors, but gave up after only a few moments, "Nothing is to be changed. You make the same food as always, and we are going to prove we do not need Tiana standing over our shoulder every day, all right?"

"We don't, but you do!" the _sous _chef joked. Naveen frowned, but didn't give an answer. Louis snapped at the chef, and he stopped laughing.

"Thank you," Naveen whispered to the gator.

The day proved to be an absolute nightmare. Some of the more inexperienced chefs were choosing today to experiment, as Tiana wasn't there to stop them. Some of the younger staff had taken to just sitting around, talking, until Naveen finally had to stay in the kitchen, watching them. The chefs went back to following Tiana's recipes, and there was a quiet awkwardness in how they worked. It was certainly not an ideal situation, for any involved.

Naveen sighed. He missed his wife terribly already. He stood up and started pacing to try to fight off the boredom, but it did nothing.

By the end of the day, his legs were sore, there had been a few complaints (beignets were the house specialty, and it seemed no one could duplicate Tiana's ability for them, even when following her recipe, the few experimental plates that Naveen hadn't been able to intercept were greeted with less than enthusiasm, and others had even complained about Naveen's absence from the band today), and all he wanted to do was to go home and pass out in bed. He helped clear out the restaurant that night, and cleaned tables until his back hurt just as badly as his legs.

He reached home at around eleven. Tiana was still in bed, but she was awake, sitting up, waiting for him. "You are still ill?" He asked. She nodded. Despite her attempted objections, he leaned in and kissed her. Sensing how hard he'd worked today, she gave in and kissed him back. A moment later, he broke the kiss. "I do not care if I get ill from it, it was worth it. I needed it, after the day I had…"

When he awoke the next morning with the same sickness Tiana had, she reminded him gently that she'd tried to stop him. He hoarsely muttered once more "It was worth it."

**Author's Note: **Seriously. This was the idea "Kiss the Girl" gave me. So…yeah. Not nearly as much kissing as you'd think. Kind of the opposite. I'm sorry? …Personally, I liked the idea.


	12. When You Wish Upon a Star

**Note: **"Hellfire" chapter's continuation was posted a few days ago. It's titled "Burning Retribution". It recounts Hellfire (so you can skip the first part), and then goes on from there. It's on chapter two, and I intend to update within the next two days.

**Song: **"When You Wish Upon a Star"

**Original Movie: **_Pinocchio _

"-And please make sure my little brother stops being so annoying. Thanks, Evening Star."

"Aurelia!" Tiana chastised. "James is not annoying. Naveen, stop laughing and say something!"

"Perhaps it is not best to waste Evangeline's magic on such a thing," he said once he finally stopped chuckling. He drew his daughter into his arms, and pointed to the Evening Star. "Do you think she granted your wish?"

Aurelia looked away, clearly embarrassed. She had not meant for her parents to overhear. Suddenly, another thought occurred to her. "…Who's 'Evangeline', Daddy?"

"Who is Evangeline?" Naveen repeated, incredulous. "Who is Evangeline?! But surely your mother and I have told you this story already!" Aurelia shook her head. "_Faldi faldonza_, this simply can not be. Have we told you of Ray?"

"You said he's the second star on the right…Back when you read me Peter Pan."

"We really did not tell her about Ray and Evangeline?" Naveen asked Tiana. She shook her head.

"You read them the regular Frog Prince, not the uh …_other _version."

"Yes, I did read them The _Froggie Prutto_," Naveen rubbed his chin as he thought. "But how did Evangeline herself never come up?! This is a most grievous mistake on our part. You see, Aurie," he always used his daughter's nickname when telling her a story, "once upon a time, a star was born –"

"How's a star born, daddy?"

Naveen considered. He knew, of course, the science behind it, but he decided at nine his daughter would find it boring. "Why, magic, of course. And she existed to grant wishes."

"What kind of wishes?" Aurelia leaned forward and craned her neck back to look at her father before glancing at the star again, bouncing in Naveen's lap the entire time.

"All sorts. Wishes a poor waitress made about a restaurant," he smiled and winked at Tiana, "she listened to a wish your Aunt Lottie made about marrying a handsome prince, but I was the only one available, and –"

"And you fell in love with mama instead!" Aurelia interrupted. Naveen nodded.

"But the most important wish she ever granted was also for herself," He continued.

"What kind of thing does a star wish for?"

Naveen chuckled. "Why, I am not certain. But she must have been very lonely, everyone looking at her and making wishes all the time. I would think she might wish for a companion. And that is where Ray came in…"

"Wait," Aurelia looked thoughtful. "Isn't James's middle name 'Ray'? Is _that _who he was named for?" Naveen nodded.

"If you do not stop interrupting, my little _prutti_, I will have to end the story early," He warned. Aurelia made a motion like she was locking up her mouth and throwing away the key. "Very good. But yes, that is where James's middle name came from. Now, Evangeline was very lonely. And a little firefly thought she was a firefly as well –"

"That's just silly, daddy! Stars aren't fireflies!"

"You gonna let your daddy finish?" Tiana asked, not unkindly. Aurelia bit gently on her bottom lip to try to stop herself from interrupting again.

"Well, who is to say they are not fireflies?" Naveen asked. "I have never seen a star up close, have you?" Aurelia shook her head. "That is what I thought. So, this firefly was very much in love with this star…" He considered for a moment, trying to put Ray's ending in a less upsetting light. "When he died," Aurelia seemed to choke when he reached that word, and mouthed 'died?' desperately at her mother. Tiana nodded, but gestured for Aurelia to keep listening, "Yes. When he died, he went on to be with her."

"Oh. Well, I guess that's not so bad," Aurelia decided. "But daddy, what killed him?"

"An evil man. I will tell you _that _story later," Naveen insisted. Aurelia started to protest, but he shook his head firmly. "No, not tonight, _prutti_. It is far too late. Please do not look so sad, this is a happy tale. He did go on to be with his love, after all, right?" Aurelia nodded. "Perhaps tomorrow I will tell you how your mother and I met Ray in the first place…"

"I'd like that," Aurelia agreed. She pretended to go to sleep. Once she could no longer hear her parents shuffling about and was certain they were in their own bed, she sat up and stared at the night sky. "Ray, I'm real sorry 'bout what happened to you. …I wonder…" She'd never tried to wish on any star aside from the Evening Star before, "Please, one day, when I'm big enough….let me have a love like yours and Evangeline's…and like my momma and daddy's."

Thousands of miles away, Ray and Evangeline both shined a little bit brighter on the girl. "It'll be a little while, still, _cher_," Ray said gently, as though the girl could hear him, "But you gonna get your wish, I guarantee it."

His hand squeezed Evangeline's tighter. "I love you, Ray," she said softly.

"I love you too, _cherie_. Thanks for lettin' me look in on the little ones. You know Cap an' Tiana…they do too much, I gotta make sure they're rememberin' how to be happy and that their kids are happy, too. ...You think they know I'm up here, watchin' them?"

"I believe they do," Evangeline answered.

"Yeah," Ray decided, "I bet they do."

**Author's Note: **I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows that Ray and Evangeline still look down on Naveen and Tiana and even their children. I kind of envision them as fairy godparents, in a strange way. I hope this was enjoyable.


	13. Some Day My Prince Will Come

**Author's Note: **I have to quickly admit something…this particular song was not actually requested (Unless I'm recalling incorrectly). However, I wanted a song I could use for Charlotte, and this one was perfect. And a bit more focus on Tiana…I'm afraid when Naveen comes into the picture, it's hard not to write a bit more for him. …He remains, even in fanfiction, far too charming.

**Song: **"Some Day My Prince Will Come"

**Original Movie: **_Snow White_

**Charlotte: **

It was too long ago for her to recall now, but Eli La Bouff could easily remember where Charlotte's obsession with being a princess came from. It had been his fault, after all. After Mrs. La Bouff had passed away, Eli had made sure that he was available to Charlotte at all times, choosing to spend most of the day with her. But he found that he simply didn't know how to relate to her.

So they'd end up staring at each other for hours on end. He loved her dearly, and she loved him, but at first they simply didn't know what to do with one another.

One day, after a particularly lucrative business venture, Eli found it. A collection of fairy tales, printed on gold-edged pages and bound with a blue hard cover. He tucked it under his arm when he entered the mansion, and practically skipped his way up the stairs to Charlotte's room.

"Daddy?" she muttered sleepily, sitting up and pushing her cat off of her. Eli shushed her and sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through the book until he found one that looked promising.

"What do you think of that, Charlotte?" He asked, handing over the book. He'd chosen a picture from Cinderella, one where she first wears her ball gown. The blonde hair and blue eyes that so closely resembled Charlotte's had made him choose the image.

Suddenly, Charlotte was wide awake. She flipped excitedly through the book, making 'ooh' sounds at every picture of a princess she found. But the first page she stopped on and really studied was at the end of Beauty and the Beast, where Beauty and her Prince were kissing.

"Would you like me to read you one of those stories?" Eli asked, reaching for the book.

"No!" Charlotte cried, ripping the book back from his hands. Her father looked downtrodden for a moment, but even at three she could sense what the problem was. She patted his hand. "No, Big Daddy. I hold. You read."

Eli chuckled and patted Charlotte on the back, leaning forward so that he could read the story with the book perched in her lap. They finished Beauty and the Beast, and she begged until he went on to read Rapunzel.

It was a tradition that lasted until Charlotte was twelve, and Big Daddy made her start reading the fairy tales to herself.

* * *

**Tiana:**

Tiana's grip on her mother's hand suddenly tightened. She'd never been in such a big house before. "Eudora?" Tiana hid behind her mother when she saw Big Daddy. He towered over her, and he was such a large man.

"Yes, Mr. La Bouff, I presume?" Eudora asked. Eli chuckled.

"No need for formalities. Just call me Eli," he extended his hand and firmly shook Eudora's. She seemed pleasantly surprised by his courtesy. "And who's this little one?"

Tiana finally emerged from behind her mother. True, she was nervous, but her mother had also raised her to be polite. "I'm Tiana."

"Ah. And are you another princess?"

"Princess?" Tiana shook her head. "No, I'm gonna own my own restaurant one day. With my daddy."

"That's a good dream too," Eli nodded approvingly. "Now, I'm sure you're wonderin' what I called you for, Eudora…Seems my daughter is not about to stop chewin' my ear off about a certain dress…"

"Well, that won't be any problem," Eudora insisted. Eli sighed.

"I wish it were as simple as you think it is. It ain't really a regular request," he grabbed a fairy tale collection of the nearby desk and flipped open to Cinderella, landing on a picture of her dancing in her ball gown. "She wants this. Now, I've ordered the supplies already, but I understand if you don't want to…but I heard you were the best…"

Eudora studied the dress in silence. "I can handle this," she said after consideration. "If you'll just show me the young model so I can get her measurements?"

"Of course. Charlotte! The seamstress is here!" A girl dressed from head-to-toe in pink emerged from her room. Seeing all the sewing supplies Eudora carried, she became a bit too excited and ran for the stairs. She wound up tumbling all the way down, a blur of pink.

When she reached the bottom, Tiana rushed to her aid. "Are you all right?"

"Of course! I'm fine!" Charlotte insisted, using the banister to pull herself up. "…I'm Charlotte."

"I'm Tiana."

Charlotte studied the other girl for a moment, sizing her up. "All right," she clapped her hands, her decision made, "You are my new best friend. I just hope the cat isn't heart broken 'bout it…"

Tiana stared at the other little girl, before giving her mother an inquisitive look. Eudora shrugged, but smiled.

"C'mere, Charlotte, I need to get your measurements," Eudora motioned the blonde over to her, and pulled a tape measure out of her bag. She hummed as she worked. "So, you like fairy tales, hmm?"

Charlotte nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes! They're wonderful. One day I'm gonna find my prince charming and I'm gonna marry him, and then I'll be a princess."

"I bet you will," Eudora agreed, "Why don't you and Tiana go play? I need to get started on your dress."

"All right. C'mon, Tia!" Charlotte seized Tiana's hand and practically dragged her up to her room. "This is my room," Charlotte said proudly. As young as she was, Tiana certainly could have put the clues together – the room was the same shade of pink that Charlotte was wearing.

"Are you really gonna marry a prince?" Tiana asked. Charlotte nodded.

"Don't you want to, too?" Tiana shook her head.

"Nah. I want to be a chef."

"You can be my chef at the palace," Charlotte offered.

"I don't want to be a palace chef, I wanna be a restaurant chef," Tiana insisted. Charlotte considered that for a while.

"Well, if I'm a princess and you're a chef, you'll still let me come see the restaurant, right? I can come visit you anytime I want?"

"Sure, I guess…"

"Great!"

They spent the rest of their time that day playing with dolls and having a tea party. Eudora had finished most of her work on the dress, and promised Charlotte she would have it within the next two days.

"All right, but…but bring Tia back with you next time you're here, all right? My daddy's paying you, so you have to, all right?"

"Tia, would you like to come with me to work tomorrow to play with Charlotte?" Eudora asked. Tia nodded.

"Mama, maybe you could tell us both a story?" Tiana suggested. "One with princes and princesses?"

"And maybe a chef!" Charlotte threw in, for her new friend's benefit.

Eudora chuckled. "I'm sure that could be arranged." As they made their way back home, Eudora pulled her daughter into her arms and kissed her on top of her head. "You made a new best friend today, huh?"

Tiana nodded. "I guess…Mama, is Charlotte really going to be a princess?"

"I don't know, baby girl."

"I don't think I'd want to be a princess," Tiana continued. "I bet they don't get to cook for themselves…Pretend princesses are all right, though."

Eudora chuckled. "Well, then, I guess you'll only pretend to be a princess." Tiana settled further into her mom's arms and nodded.

"Right. Just for pretend."


	14. A Whole New World

**Author's Note: **Sorry it took so long. I believe this was the most requested song, but I had some difficulty figuring out a story to go along with it.

**Song: **"A Whole New World"

**Original Movie: **_Aladdin_

**Post/Mid(?) Movie, Tiana/Naveen**

Their eyes were closed, and they were too preoccupied with the kiss to feel the change that overcame them. When they finally opened their eyes, both were pleasantly surprised to find that they'd been returned to human.

"When you became my wife, that made you…" Naveen had figured out how they'd returned to normal. Tiana quickly cottoned on.

"A princess! You just kissed yourself a princess!"

"And…" Naveen smirked, drawing her close, "I am about to do it again."

The kiss broke apart once more, and now Mama Odie was down to business. "All right, children, y'all should get yourselves outta this swamp 'fore night fall. I provided the clothes for y'all and you don't need to return 'em. Think of it as a weddin' present. Louis, you should help em get back."

Naveen frowned. "With his sense of direction?" Mama Odie was quiet for a moment, considering the problem.

"All right, all right. It's simple. I'll tell y'all how to get home," she explained the situation to Naveen as Tiana sat down, lifting her skirt to reveal her human legs. She didn't pay attention to the directions, going back and forth between examining her own body to make sure nothing was changed, and glancing at Naveen.

She'd really never seen him as a human up close (it would be quite some time before he would off-handly reference the waitress who had refused his advances, and it would still be a few days after that before she realized it was she to whom he referred). She'd seen Lawrence imitating him, but as similar as the talisman had made the old butler appear, Tiana could see the difference now.

Naveen stood with a regal gait, even when he was more relaxed. There was a sharpness to his eyes, very intelligent. They seemed to twinkle and dance, as if there was always a joke in his mind, a song in his heart. He'd had the same eyes even when he'd been a frog.

Tiana wondered how things might change between them now. They'd expected to live out their lives as frogs together, but they'd both assumed that the opportunity to become human again was completely lost to them.

"Tiana? Are you all right?" Naveen asked. He'd made Mama Odie repeat the directions until he memorized them, but now that he wasn't distracted he could see that his bride looked concerned.

"Oh. Uh…just wonderin' how I'm gonna trek through the swamp in this dress," Tiana said, gesturing towards the skirt of the dress. "It's a bit too…poofy."

Naveen chuckled. "Well, you do look lovely, but I suppose it might be a bit impractical. I may simply have to carry you out."

"Oh no, no, I can walk," Tiana insisted.

"That is not the only thing bothering you."

Tiana sighed. "Smart _and _handsome…"

"Yes, I am," Naveen agreed. "Now out with it. You are concerned over something…you wished for your mother to be at the wedding?"

"No…well, yes, that would have been nice…"

"This is no problem," he waved his hand a few times, as though shooing the problem away. "We will merely have a second ceremony. I am certain my parents would like to attend as well…"

"Naveen, that's not the problem. It's…it's …we're not frogs anymore."

"This is a problem?" Naveen raised an eyebrow. "I had thought we both wished to be free of that curse. You were a most lovely frog, but I have to say, I prefer this version." He grabbed her hands and spread her arms, admiring her form.

"It's not that. We haven't been around one another as humans before. I'm just a little worried. Now that you've got your old looks back, how'm I supposed to know you won't use your charms on any girl that comes along? This all happened awful fast…I just don't know…"

Naveen took a seat beside her and thought it over. "I understand what you are saying. I have never been what one might call 'faithful' in the past," Tiana gave a slight eye roll. "But I also have never been in love before. You are my Evangeline, and I wish to spend the rest of my life with you. Human or frog."

Tiana leaned her head onto Naveen's shoulder, grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I love you, too. Even without the warts." He gave a small laugh. "All right. We can make this work. But ain't no way my momma's going to accept that we had a wedding out in the middle of the bayou."

"My parents will not be very accepting of it either," he agreed. "So, a second wedding then?" Tiana nodded. "So many things you've taught me…I used to hate the idea of being wed, and now I can not wait for a second wedding." He pulled her closer, about to kiss her again, when she stood up suddenly, causing him to fall forward into the bayou.

He bobbed back up from the water's depths after a moment and scowled at her. "You did this on purpose!" he accused, splashing water at her. He expected her to squeal and run away, but instead she grabbed her skirt and hiked it up before jumping into the bayou herself.

"C'mon, Naveen," she said, splashing him back, "No more games. We gotta get ourselves back to New Orleans. Hey, Louis!" she called back at the gator. "You comin' or what?"

"Well, I dunno," Louis admitted.

"Fine, we'll find some other gator to play in the house band!" Tiana said, turning her back and starting to swim away. Louis dove into the water, coming up beside her a second later.

"I'm comin, I'm comin!...You do mean it, though, right?"

Tiana nodded. "Of course. Think of this as a new adventure. We survived the Shadow Man, I think we can handle openin' up a restaurant."

The three trekked back to New Orleans and made it by night fall. They were all covered in mud and aching, and had Charlotte not played witness, Eudora and Eli probably would have never believed their story.

After being frogs, fighting seemingly impossible odds and having a hard time merely surviving, being human again was no trouble at all. Tiana was relieved to find that being with Naveen, whether as frogs or human, still felt right. Tiana's Palace was a place built out of their love, and it was often said around town that any nights were one of the pair was missing, no matter how packed the place was, it still felt empty.

The sign may have only bore Tiana's name, but that didn't make it any less Naveen's as well. They belonged there, and far more important, they belonged together.

**Author's note: **….Again. Cheeeesy. Capital C was necessary. Still liked it, still liked writing it.


	15. Be Prepared

**Author's Note: **This chapter _might _become part of "Burning Retributions". I'm still working out the details. Either way, consider what happened in the "Hellfire" chapter a prologue to this one. Also, for the Fenner brothers imdb has their name listed, but I don't know which one's which. I'm guessing the taller, skinnier one is "Harvey" and the shorter one is "Henry", but if someone can tell me if I'm wrong, I'd be most appreciative.

**Song: **"Be Prepared"

**Original Movie: **_The Lion King_

The Fenner Brothers realty office was hot to the point of sweltering most days, but on this particular day both of them were shivering, with no explanation as to why. They finished with their last customer (who kept complaining about the heat, causing both Harvey and Henry confusion), and shooed him out the door, Harvey locking up the second the patron's foot was clear.

"Well, that takes care of that," Harvey said, pulling his suit's jacket closer to him, his arms wrapping around his shoulders, hugging himself for warmth. "What you say we leave this paperwork for tomorrow?"

"I agree…" Henry nodded enthusiastically, and started gathering the files together to set them aside for tomorrow. He set them on top of a nearby filing cabinet, and nearly shrieked when the door flew open, a wind coming and knocking the files from their perch. "I…I thought you done locked that already…"

"I did," Harvey insisted. "You saw me lock it…I know I locked it…" His conviction seemed to fade, and now he couldn't recall if he really had locked the door or not. "It doesn't matter. We're 'bout to head out anyhow."

"Oh, what's the rush now, boys?"

Harvey and Henry both squeaked when they saw the tall man in their doorway. Given their knowledge of the layout of town they'd recognized the Shadow Man immediately. They also knew he was supposed to be dead.

"..Shadow Man," they both managed to whisper in the same horrified tone.

"Oh, no need for titles. I prefer to be called 'Dr.', after all…I am Facilier, and I've come to make a certain…arrangement with y'all. If you'd oblige me and listen to my uh…proposition?"

"Do we have a choice?" Harvey asked warily. Henry had already plopped down into the chair behind his desk.

Facilier chuckled. "Oh, there's always a choice, but you're gonna wanna be in on this deal, I assure you. Now, gentlemen," his head bobbed slightly in the direction of the door. It slammed shut again, the brothers both wincing at the noise. "I need y'all to do me a little favor…"

"We don't do freebies," Harvey was surprised at his own daring, but he and his brother had put a lot of work into this business. They were never soft on potential clients.

"Oh, it wouldn't be a freebie…not in the end, at least. Tell me, gentlemen, what property has the most value on it?"

"La Bouff manor," Harvey responded curtly. Facilier let out a small laugh.

"That one doesn't offer any returns, Mr. Fenner. Nothing but a commission from that. Now, if you were to run say…a restaurant, you could take in profits from it…"

"Only restaurant worth all that trouble is Miss Tiana's," Henry snorted. "And she ain't gonna sell, with all she went through to get it."

"What if she had no choice?"

The Fenners exchanged looks. "What do you mean?" Harvey asked.

"Say a little friendly competition proved to be too much for her…she'd be forced to sell her restaurant. And at a nice, cheap price. Y'all scoop it up and keep it, or sell it…whichever gets you more money."

"And what's in it for you?" Harvey asked suspiciously.

"I need a building for the competing restaurant. It doesn't have to look nice, I just need a building. Cheapest one you got will be fine."

"And we get Tiana's Palace, right? You won't take custody of it?"

Facilier nodded. "I have no interest in it. This is all…a very personal matter. You only have things to gain here, Mr. Fenner…and Mr. Fenner. Won't you join me and my friends?" Facilier extended his right hand. Henry shook first, and then Harvey did. The magic hit them at the same time, and both examined the palms of their hands in horror.

"What did you do?" Harvey demanded.

"Something y'all agreed to," Facilier said simply. "Remember our arrangement…" As quickly as he'd appeared, Facilier was gone again.

Harvey sunk into his chair. He was nervous over the idea of working with Facilier, but the voodoo man had made everything sound so wonderful. And the idea of owning Tiana's estate once more, now that it was worth a great deal more than her initial investment….the Fenner brothers were not ones to look past such an opportunity. Especially when they had no idea of the price they'd just paid.


	16. The Second Star to the Right

**Song: **"Second Star to the Right"

**Original Movie: **_Peter Pan_

**Louis/Ray Friendship Piece:**

"And I wish that someday I can play a trumpet the way that gator does…" The little boy was on the balcony of Tiana's Palace, staring up at Ray's star. Louis hadn't meant to eavesdrop, he was only up here to get a rag to clean the spit valve of his trumpet out, but he'd stopped when he'd heard the mention of himself. He swelled with pride, but then realized what was more interesting.

Why was the kid staring at Ray's star?

Around here, almost everyone made their wishes on the Evening Star (still "Evangeline" to Louis, Tiana and Naveen). But there was no mistaking it. He had his eye on the second star to the right.

Louis wished he had some way of asking the boy what was going on, but alas, only Naveen and Tiana could understand him when he talked. He thought of trying to get the boy's attention, but figured it might frighten him.

"You!" Louis jumped. The boy had noticed him. "You're the gator," he jabbered excitedly. "The one who plays for the band!"

Louis nodded, then jerked his head towards the stars. He hoped his question was obvious.

"I know, I know…wishin' on stars isn't what gets you what you want, but it can't really hurt nothin', can it?"

Louis sighed, and shook his head. No, it wouldn't hurt anything. He still wished he could ask the little boy his question, though. Once more, he jerked his head towards the skyline, making eye contact with the boy, hoping it would get through this time.

"Oh," the little boy looked sheepish now. "I know most people wish on the Evening Star, but uh…I overheard Miss Tiana talking to you about missing someone named "Ray", and that he was still up there beside Evangeline - which I heard her calling the Evening Star…and I figured if Ray's your friend he might wanna listen to me and help me out with my wish a bit more…silly, huh?" He scuffed at the floor with his shoe.

Louis shook his head firmly, hoping his point would come across. Not only did he not think it was silly, he thought it was very sweet.

"Well, I've gotta get goin'. Mama expects me home soon. Bye, Mr. Gator…" The boy patted him on the head before he exited, leaving Louis alone.

"Well, Ray," Louis said after the boy was out of sight, "It's not like he's askin' much. I hope he does become a great trumpet player. I miss ya, little buddy. I bet you're right happy with Evangeline, though, so I'm happy for you, but I wish you would have stuck around a bit longer."

He twirled his trumpet. "This one's for you…" He sat back on his tail and into the night, he played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". It's been said around New Orleans that that night, with the music filling the air, all of the stars shone even brighter over the city.

**Author's Note: **…I'm a sap. And I know it was short, but I didn't want to belabor the point. Thanks for taking the time to read, extra thanks if you've got this in your favorites or alerts list, have me on your author alert's list and as always, thank you for reviews if you have the time to send them.


	17. A Girl Worth Fighting For

-1**Song: **"A Girl Worth Fighting For"

**Original Movie: **_Mulan_

**Naveen**

He was not really sure what the squabble was about. All he knew was that when he went into the kitchen of Tiana's palace, Tiana was throwing chocolate powder at her _sous _chef, and she was covered in flour. As Naveen watched, transfixed, the fight escalated, and suddenly both were throwing eggs, batter, anything they could get their hands on. Naveen decided to intervene when he saw Tiana's hand inch towards the meat cleaver.

"What is all this? What is going on?"

"He's been stealing my recipes!" Tiana pointed at the _sous _chef accusingly. "The café down a block from here has been sellin' my beignets and I know he's the one that sold them my recipe!"

"Calm down, calm down," Naveen hugged her, but scooted the cleaver out of her reach while she was distracted. "How do you know it was him?"

"Yeah! What proof do you have?"

"Your sister works there, and she flat out told me herself. 'Just business', she said…just business indeed, I've half a mind to --" she shook her fist at the other chef, but Naveen grabbed it and kissed it. "No, Naveen, let me go, I'm gonna go teach him a lesson, ain't no way I can just let this go…"

"Why do we not just fire him?" Naveen suggested.

"No need. I quit!" The man said dramatically, throwing his apron to the floor. "Good luck with _her_, buddy. Learn how to control your woman."

"He did not just say that about me," Tiana hissed, once more trying to reach for the man.

"Tiana, I am begging you to calm down. Please, allow me to handle this in the gentlemanly and polite way."

Tiana calmed down, but she openly glared at the chef. "Fine," she said through clenched teeth, "Go be polite and nice to him, not that he deserves it. I suppose it's better to be diplomatic anyways, but…he just made me so angry. That's my signature dish!"

"I understand…" Naveen agreed. "Could I have a word?" He said to the chef.

"Yeah, sure…"

"You must come closer, I do not wish her to hear…"

"Yeah, she is a bit of a psycho, might overreact to what you're saying," the man agreed, coming closer. When he was close enough, Naveen grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him closer, his face mere inches away from the other man's.

"Listen, you little _worm_, that is my wife you just said those horrible things to. She has poured her heart and soul into this place, and into that recipe you so casually stole from her. If you do not tell your sister to stop making my Tiana's beignets…" Naveen's smile was almost maniacal, "I will personally see to it that you are hurt. Very badly."

"And what are you going to do to me, Princey?" The man snorted.

"My father insisted I take boxing lessons, to keep myself fit. I doubt you wish to see my talents for yourself. Are we in an understanding?"

"Whatever…"

"Now, apologize to my wife. Now," Naveen hissed the last word.

"Fine, fine…" The man spoke up now. "Miss Tiana, I'm sorry. My sister will stop making your beignets. I'll leave you folks alone now."

Naveen considered something momentarily. Before Tiana or the man realized what was going on, Naveen had punched him out, with just one blow. "Naveen! What was that for? He apologized!"

"Yes, but he hurt you, and I'm not certain he meant his apology…this will ensure that he stays with our agreement."

Tiana sighed. "You didn't' want me to attack him, and then you did? Were you coming to my rescue?"

"Of course not. You do not need me to fight your battles for you, you are more than capable…but sometimes, I like to handle them myself. Is that all right?"

Tiana smiled, and kissed him. "I think it's wonderful."


	18. Tale as Old as Time

**Song: **"Tale as Old as Time"

**Original Movie: **_Beauty and the Beast_

"Leave. Me. Alone." she accentuated every word, trying to make it as clear as day that she simply wasn't interested.

"Oh, don't be that way," he sniffled. "Ain't got much to give you, but what I do have could be yours as well."

"Ain't interested."

"And why not?"

"Cause you never leave a gal alone!" she placed her hands on her hips, "What's your interest in me for, anyhow? Plenty o' other girls out there. I'm sure one of them would want you and your gumbo pot."

"I don't want one of those girls. They ain't good enough for my gumbo pot, neither. I want you."

She raised her eyebrows. "And just what makes you think I'm gonna say yes?"

"Cause deep down, you love me. Simple as that."

"You are confident," she chuckled. She frowned, realizing that she was starting to slip. The whole point was to push him away, and she was failing rapidly.

"I guess so…but Eudora, why won't you just say yes to me? What did I do wrong?"

"What you did was go out with my best friend…"

"Before I'd even met you!" he cried. "Now that I _have_, you're the only girl that'll ever do for me. Please, Eudora…I'll build you a house, I'll cook for you, and we'll have kids and I will be the best husband and father you ever could hope for. Give me a chance."

Eudora faked an eye roll. "All right, James…I suppose I could give you _one _date."

"That's all I need…"

"Arrogant," she snorted.

"Nope, just confident. I know what I want, and trust me, Eudora…" he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I go after it."

* * *

Tiana set the shrimp etouffee in front of her mother before sliding into the chair beside her and patting Naveen on the hand. "So, what are you two talkin' about?"

"Oh, just regular gossip," Eudora laughed. "And asking when you two are gonna get me some grandkids."

"I told her I keep trying, but that you insist it is not time yet," Naveen explained, giving his most charming smile.

"That's right, we've got ourselves a restaurant to run, kids are gonna have to wait awhile," Tiana insisted. "Mama, you haven't taken a single bite, is there something wrong with it? I can make you something else…"

"Child, just because I don't hork it down the minute it's in front of me doesn't mean it's not good," Eudora gestured with her fork as she spoke. She speared a shrimp on her utensil and bit in. "It's good. Real good. Daddy'd be real proud of you, sugar."

"Thanks, mama."

"I do not see what you were worried about," Naveen complained. "Always going on and on that your dishes may not be perfect. It is so silly, when have you ever made something that was not amazing?"

"Mmm…you want to talk about obsessed with perfection?" Tiana raised an eyebrow. "Just how long did you spend looking in the mirror this mornin', pretty boy?"

"My wife wounds me," Naveen whimpered to his mother-in-law. Eudora chuckled. "Do you see how your daughter mistreats me? And yet, I give her only love and affection. True, I spend a lot of time on appearances, but it is all for you, my love."

"For me, huh?" Tiana asked, setting her elbows on the table and resting her hand in her heads, studying her husband. "And just how is it for me?"

"Surely it means something to you to be able to brag that you have the most handsome husband in all of New Orleans? Eudora, tell her this is so."

Eudora swallowed a big bite of etouffee, "He's right, love. I often tell people how handsome and charmin' my son-in-law is."

"See, this is why your mother is my favorite," Naveen said appreciatively, giving Eudora a pat on the shoulder.

"Mmm. Maybe you should have married _her_, then?" Tiana suggested.

"This is not my point. My point is that I look good for you, my love. It is something you will simply have to accept."

"I accept that you're full of yourself," Tiana teased.

"Such hurtful words," Naveen held a hand over his heart as though he'd been struck there.

"C'mon, pretty boy…I feel like dancing," Tiana said, pulling him to his feet and dragging him to the floor. "Even if it is with someone as arrogant as you."

Eudora set her fork down and watched the pair closely, rubbing her wedding wing with the thumb of her right hand. "I guess history does repeat itself…in its own ways," she decided. "That boy's good for her, just like you were good for me…"

**Author's note: **…I am the sap master. I can give you diabetes with a single drabble. MWHAHAHAHA!….it's after midnight and I was projectile vomited on today, cut me some slack. I still like it, and I'm hoping you all will too.


	19. Reflection

**Author's Note: **My apologies for taking so long to get back to writing for this collection.

**Song: **Reflection

**Original Movie: **Mulan

Tiana placed a hand on each hip and slowly stretched backwards as she walked through her front door, attempting to make her back hurt less. Three different servers had neglected to show up for their shifts, and she had insisted on taking over their roles in addition to cooking, with Naveen helping out as best as he could.

He shut the door behind them. It had been a very long day for the pair. Tiana suddenly let out a noise of disgust, her eyes on the mirror hung near the entryway of their home. "Covered in flour...but do I look like a mess," she shook her head, attempting to dust some flour away from the skirt of her dress. "You know, I think I got myself about twelve more burns tonight," she studied herself in the mirror and attempted to pat down a section of hair escaping her ponytail. She sighed.

"Something is wrong?" Naveen asked, removing her coat for her and hanging it on the coat rack before doing the same with his own jacket. He spotted the mirror. "Ah. You are admiring your beauty. This I can understand."

Tiana scoffed at him. "I don't feel none too pretty right now. I look like a complete mess."

"And when has that mattered to you?" he cocked his head to the side, his eyes dancing mischievously. Tiana crossed her arms, waiting for him to explain himself. "I just mean, it is unlike you to note what you look like. You are typically more concerned with business than with your looks."

"I know, and the truth of it is, it don't matter, but I still like to look somewhat presentable. Not sure I make the best impression on new customers when I look like the flour bag exploded on me."

"Tiana," Naveen wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head into the crook of her neck so that his lips were right beside her right ear. "You are not looking correctly."

"Oh?" Tiana shivered from the sensation of his words purring into her ear, not unpleasantly.

"You are seeing a flour covered waitress in this looking glass. This is simply not the case. _Faldi faldonza_, that someone as beautiful and smart as you would miss what is right before her! This can not continue," he kissed her on the neck. "So, I will elaborate for you."

He turned her around so that he could study her. "Your face, while flour covered, is the most beautiful I've ever seen. Your hands are, admittedly, kind of rough," he gave them a squeeze, "but this is merely testament to how hard you have worked to realize your dreams. Your body is a thing of beauty, which shines all the brighter when you dance. And the clothes do not matter. But there is the far most important part here..."

"And that is?"

"That the mirror does not show you how beautiful you are on the inside, unless you smile first. It takes your smile to realize what's inside. The mirror says that you are beautiful, but it forgets that you are also kind, loving and warm."

Tiana kissed him then, and Naveen pulled her as close to him as he could. "Of course, the mirror also says that your husband is handsome, even covered in flour." Tiana gave him a playful shove.

"C'mon, pretty boy. We should probably both go take a bath."

**Author's Note: **Yes, it's short. Sorry, but I felt like it didn't need to be that long. I will try to make the next one longer.


	20. So Close

**Song: **So Close

**Original Movie: **Enchanted

**Charlotte**

_A life goes by,_

_Romantic dreams must die_

_So I bid mine goodbye and never knew_

_So close was waiting, waiting here with you_

Truth be told, of course she was more in love with the idea of being a princess than she was with Naveen. Rather, who she thought was Naveen at the time. But he was handsome, and he was a prince. That was enough to get her attention.

The problem was that she also believed that, like in the fairy tales, he would come to be her one true love. That just one kiss would be enough for them to want to be together forever.

But what came to her mind first when the fake Naveen asked her to marry him was the title of princess. What she'd been dreaming about since she was a little girl. She loved that title, the idea that it might go before her name. Princess Charlotte had such a nice ring to it. There hadn't been any hesitation on her part.

When the real Naveen, in all his currently amphibious glory, showed up and told her what had happened, she listened carefully to his story.

And she finally _really_ got it.

The point of those stories were not about how a girl from a poor family went to being a princess (not that she'd ever fully be able to relate to those, being the daughter of the richest man in town, possibly in the state). Being a princess was just a detail.

The part that mattered was the love. Looking past _everything_ to see the man or woman inside, and fall in love with what was there. Whether the man inside was hidden behind a beast or a frog.

She'd thought she had felt twinges with Naveen's imposter, but she knew better than to think it was love. Charlotte was spoiled, not naïve or stupid. But suddenly that was what she wanted. She still wanted the princess title, but she wanted the true love more.

About a month later at the grand opening of Tiana's Palace, she joked to Naveen's little brother that she could wait for him. He'd smiled before running off. "Cute kid," she said to herself. She still wasn't sure herself whether she was joking about waiting for him or not.

"Miss Charlotte?"

"Travis?" Charlotte was more than a little surprised to see Travis at the opening. She hadn't been aware that he and Tiana were friends. But there he was, looking at her hopefully.

"Ahem, that is..." he coughed weakly. "Does 'later' still mean 'never'?"

"Sometimes."

"So..."

Charlotte sighed dramatically, "Travis, when a girl doesn't say much but doesn't push you away, it means she's bein' coy. You know? Hard to get?" She waited for him to take the hint.

"Will you give me the pleasure of having this dance, Charlotte?" Travis tried again.

Charlotte studied him for a moment. He was from a well off family, but he was certainly no prince. Still, he did genuinely seem to care about her. "Until the right one comes along," she said, taking the hand he proffered to her.

"What changed your mind?" Travis asked as the music turned slower - Naveen and Tiana had just reemerged on the dance floor together, amid loud applause.

Charlotte pulled away for a moment, watching her best friend. "Prince or no prince..." she looked Travis in the eye. "I don't care anymore. I just...I want what they have."


	21. Why Should I WorryJust Can't Wait To Be

**Author's Note: **I originally gave Naveen's brother a different name, but IMDB swears that his little brother's name is Ralphie. I don't like it, but IMDB is usually a good resource, so we'll roll with it. Ralphie's English is better than his brother's here because his English was fantastic at the end of the movie, even if it was just for one line. Enough that I can see him actually speaking pretty well, whether English or Maldonian.

**Songs: **Why Should I Worry/Just Can't Wait to be King

**Original Movies: **Oliver and Company/The Lion King

**Naveen, prior to the movie**

Now it couldn't be said that Naveen was a bad brother. He loved his little brother, Ralphie, more than anything. The problem was that Naveen loved his brother enough to let him tag along on his adventures throughout Maldonia.

Normally, this wasn't a huge problem. But this was not going to be a typical day. The pair finished their English lessons with Laurence and then they were both out of their like a shot, Naveen ringing his hands in anticipation. "Can you believe this?" he took the flier out of his pocket for what may have been the millionth time that day and examined it. The two had fallen into speaking in English on the palace grounds as the servants, save Laurence, were unable to understand them, and therefore not able to intercept their plans.

The flier announced that The Rag Tag Gang, a jazz trio that had recently moved from New Orleans to Maldonia, would be playing tonight at Lez Artique. "You will be going with me, yes?" Ralphie nodded his agreement.

"But what if mom and dad find out? Isn't the LA club supposed to be," Ralphie searched his English vocabulary, but he couldn't find an accurate synonym. Resorting to Maldonian, he asked "..._argeque_?"

"Pah...racy! Just because the girls walk around with minimal clothing," Naveen wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Does not mean it is not a fine and upstanding establishment." Ralphie looked unconvinced. "Mother and father will never know. You do not have to come with me if you do not wish."

Ralphie looked scandalized for a moment. "But I want to hear the jazz, too!"

"Well, then, stop worrying and come with me. We shall meet at the back garden at ten tonight. Keep your clothes on under your pajamas."

"But brother, the servants help me get dressed..."

Naveen sighed. "Yes, but it is not hard to put some clothes in the wash closet. They will not bother you there, true?" Ralphie nodded. "Very good. It is all planned." Naveen punched a fist into the air. "Tonight will be spectacular!"

* * *

Neither prince had expected quite so much smoke in the place. Naveen lazily swatted it away from him, but Ralphie thought he was going to choke on it. And the smell! The younger boy could not for the life of him figure out why anyone would choose to smoke if it smelled this horrid.

He suddenly felt Naveen pull him back and let out a shocked cry because he couldn't see. Naveen had covered his eyes. "One moment, little _prutto_...that was not a sight for young eyes." Whatever the sight had been, Naveen had seemed to enjoy it. Ralphie felt a twinge of annoyance.

"_Pruttos_? Here?" One of the waitresses, scantily clad in sequins that were leaving little to the imagination, exclaimed. She was watching Naveen and Ralphie quite intently. "Oh, don't worry, I don't bite! You two should get closer to the stage. Not often we get a pair of royals here..." she said in Maldonian.

"Thank you," Ralphie and Naveen said in unison.

"Brother, she recognized us," Ralphie pointed out.

"I am next in line for the throne, most recognize me," Naveen admired himself in a spoon, "You are fairly well known yourself, Ralph. It is of no harm. They will not go to Mother and Father with the information."

"Do you _ever_ worry?"

"No. Should I?"

Ralphie shrugged. "If you ever get caught."

"You need to learn to live, little brother. Waitress! A round of drinks for everyone here!" the waitress from earlier took the order, smiling at Naveen and winking at Ralphie. "After all, we need something to keep us occupied while the band isn't playing."

It took three more rounds (all paid for with the King and Queen's money) before the band finally got up to play. Ralphie watched as his brother seemed to transform. One minute he was drinking and flirting with any pretty girl in sight, the next he was on his feet and was dancing, his movements perfectly timed with the rhythm.

Naveen extended a hand to his brother. Feeling a bit self conscious, Ralphie shyly got up and did a few steps, then immediately tried to sit back down. Naveen forced him back up, grabbing his hand and demonstrating a few simple moves for Ralphie to follow. He did, and Naveen threw back his head and roared his laughter in delight at Ralphie's willingness to dance with him.

The pair were so enthralled they didn't see the palace guards enter the club.

* * *

"Unacceptable," The Queen said for what must have been the fifth time. "That club...do you know how dangerous that club is? And you took your little brother!"

"He was fine! I was there with him. I kept him safe!"

Now it was the kKing's turn to speak up. "What you did was spend 150 _crodettes_ on wine for everyone in that club! I can only hope your brother didn't get any of _that_!"

"He did not! I would never!" Naveen insisted. In truth, he'd given Ralphie a sip of wine before, but he'd chosen a more bitter wine to ensure his brother would never ask for more. "I love my brother, I could never hurt him."

"Your irresponsibility could have gotten him hurt," The Queen pointed out, seething. "We love you, Naveen, we do. But you just are not understanding how important this is. How we need you to grow up. We hate to do this to you, but..."

"You're cut off," the king finished for her. "No more money just to chase skirts and drink and ...jazz all day!"

"You do not jazz, it is a type of music!" Naveen interjected almost fiercely. His father did not acknowledge the interruption. "But father, I am supposed to be king one day..." he was trying to be as charming as he could. But that was never enough to work on his parents, who had managed to build up an immunity.

"No buts. Until you show some responsibility, not only are you cut off...you are no longer the next in line for the throne."

Naveen felt his jaw go slack, hanging open slightly as he tried to think of something, anything to say. Anything that might make his father rescind. But nothing came to mind. "Fine." he finally muttered. "That is fine. It does not bother me one bit!"

Later as Naveen paced his polished marble floor, he'd come up with the idea of going to New Orleans, to see the birth place of jazz music. He could ride a freighter for free, his title of prince was enough to secure that passage. Lodging was another problem, as was food and ensuring he wasn't misunderstood since his English was still not perfect. Not to mention someone to carry the bags. He figured Laurence would solve the last two problems. The other hiccups in the plan...well, even know, Naveen just couldn't bring himself to worry about it. "Eh, it will all work out in the end."


	22. Poor Unfortunate Souls

**Author's Note: **Whoo-hoo, random update night! I've done a story about Facilier's origins before, but this is a different take on it.

**Song: **_Poor Unfortunate Souls_

**Original Movie: **_The Little Mermaid_

**Dr. Facilier, pre movie:**

_Are you ready?_

Facilier bolted up in bed. He didn't know where the voice had come from. The red brick dust laid around his bed to prevent intruders that meant him harm had been disturbed – a few inches of it were missing, effectively breaking the circle and thus his protection.

_Are you reeaaaady?_

"Who's there?" he grabbed his cane from beside the bed, brandishing it like a bat.

_Just some friends._

The voices he had heard before answered. He could not make out any form in the darkness. "Friends of whose? Y'all ain't no friends of mine."

_Not yet. _

"Where are you?"

_Everywhere. Nowhere. In the shadows. In the darkness. Sometimes even in the light. Always in the hearts of man – men like you._

"What do you mean, men like me? What do you want?"

_To make a deal. We deal in trades, just like you. But we're more upfront – we don't pick your pocket under the table while reading your tarot cards for you._

"And just what is it y'all are wanting to trade?"

_Your soul. Your soul for our friendship. _

"So let me get this straight…y'all are wanting me to burn for eternity after death just so's I can have a friend? Friends aren't worth nearly that much, if anything."

_Our friendship means friends in high – or low, depending on how you look at it – places. Watch._

The lamp flickered on. Facilier watched in wonder as his shadow seemed to take on a life of its own. It picked up the lamp and handed it to him. Facilier accepted the lamp, but kept looking around. The 'friends' were still not visible, even in the light. "So you can do a few fancy tricks. What use is that to me?"

_We'll send opportunities your way. It will be up to you to figure out how to get what you want. But we will supply the tools. Besides, it's not a full on trade. It's more like an investment. You give us your soul, and it will be returned to you once your debt is settled._

"And just how do I settle my debt?"

_By giving us more. Trading others to us in your name. Make this deal with us and in one year's time, you will have the opportunity, the means for a life time of riches as well as the souls to pay your debts._

Facilier was too distracted by the idea of profit to notice that the word 'debt' had suddenly become its plural form. "I fulfill this contract and y'all leave my soul alone? I just trade it to you for a while and then I get it back?"

_Provided you deliver. Yes. That's all it takes. We can give you so much,_ Facilier's shadow put an arm around his shoulder. Facilier shivered. The shadow felt cold. _We can also take what little you have away if you decide not to side with us. Are you ready?_

Facilier nodded. "Yes. I'm ready. Give me my power."

_Very well. _A purple smoke began to fill the room. _This won't hurt…much._

**Author's Note: **I know it's short, but I think I ends nice and creepily this way.


	23. When She Loved Me

**Song: **"_When She Loved Me"_

**Original Movie: **_Toy Story 2_

**Author's Note**: This is a sad one shot about the death of Tiana's father. You have been warned.

"You'd be surprised how well that little girl cooked. One night everyone out in the projects came out cause-"

"Cause your little girl done cooked some gumbo. How many times you got to tell that story, James? We in the middle of a war here." Rogers grumbled.

"Ain't a crime to love your family," Private Smith pointed out. "James is proud of his girl. What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with that is…it's quiet."

Smith opened his mouth to say something, but James shushed him this time. "Feels like something's sucking the sound right outta here. It's too quiet, that's for sure," James whispered. The three men all cautiously peered out into the woods, trying to figure out the cause of their unease. That was when the air raids started.

"Move!" James shouted, running as fast as he could. He could hear the other men behind him, all of them running as quickly as they could to regroup with the base. As James entered the middle of the camp ground another explosion went off just a few feet away.

"We gotta move, soldiers!" Shouted the general. "Everyone pack up and out – grab only the necessities, don't waste no time on anything else."

James ran for his tent and stumbled out, clutching his bag close to him, his fist wrapped tightly around a picture.

"James, you risking your life for a picture of that girl of yours?" Rogers demanded. "I'm sure you'd rather have the real thing and that won't happen if you get too sentimental –" Before the older man could finish berating James for his decision, another explosion hit sending a piece of shrapnel right at Rogers' leg. He screamed in pain. James put his picture in his bag and slung his own bag and Rogers' over his shoulder before grabbing the injured man.

"Leave me here. You know just as well as I do that I'm a dead man now."

"Maybe. Maybe you could last a bit longer. They say only the good die young and that mean folks live forever, so I reckon you've got time left," James teased. Rogers sighed.

"James, if only the good die young, you are in a heap of trouble."

James ran as fast as he could while carrying the other man, running even faster than he thought possible when he heard a bomb go off, diving behind bushes to avoid flying debris after the bombs were triggered. He was exhausted.

The bombs never seemed to stop. He found a clearing in the middle of the woods after what felt like hours of running and set up a crude shelter, leaning sticks together and hoping they would hold on just a prayer. "What brought you out here, James?" Rogers finally asked, shivering. "You don't seem like the kind of man wants to fight."

"I ain't. I don't like it. All this war time…miserable business. But I had to fight. To do something. For my wife and daughter."

"Why ain't you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared. But this is just like when I'm home with my girl and it's thundering and storming like mad and the hurricanes are threatening to tear my house to pieces. Baby girl, she'd always get so scared. I couldn't let her know I was, too. I'd hold her and tell her stories about what we're going to do and we'd plan out our menu for our restaurant. Tiana's Place. It's gonna be the best restaurant in the south, if not the world. Tiana's got so much to give the world."

"You didn't stay to protect your daughter?"

"She's getting older now. Doesn't really need to be protected so much. We don't get as much time together as we used to."

"James…we're not going to make it out."

"I know."

"So why you so calm?"

"I had a wife who loved me and a daughter who was everything I ever wished for. My only regret is that the only way I get to see my daughter again before all this is over," James slid the photo out of his pack, "is in an old photograph."

James and Rogers were bombed several more times during the night. Rogers would end up surviving the war, losing his leg to infection, but James was caught in the heart by a piece of shrapnel that night. He died instantly. Rogers himself returned the photo to Tiana and Eudora.


End file.
